Unclean kill shots…😞

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I went out last Wed, strong wind from the North, I'd just did a 50 yard sight in, JSAR Raptor .25 with AEA Center Punch 33.9, , saw a Ground Squirrel on a fence rail, went over and got braced on a garbage bin, it was turning around so it 's back was to me, I was shooting 90º to the wind so a small compensation to the right, let it go and a SOLID THUNK, went over to grab it and.....it was gone, Darn things are wearing body armor, I swear they are.
 
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Yeah bad shots are the worst. Had to chase a starling down that I clipped at 25-30y barefoot in my backyard to dispatch him. I was batting 1000 all week with my .20 Sheridan Blue Streak, getting most them at 40-50y and sniping their scouts from the top of my walnut trees. Fortunately caught up to him and dispatched him.

Clipped another one with my power tuned Leshiy .25 with a JSB Heavy, and I ran after him and missed from 10y. That disappeared in the brush afterwards.

The only PCP I have that puts them and the squirrels down 100% of the time on the first shot is my .30 Maverick.
 
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L.Leon said:
While the higher percentage of shots I take on small critters are DRT kills. There are days like today. After a seriously contentious day at work. I bagged three starlings, the first? A DRT lightning strike. The next? A solid thwack, but it glided until it crashed into the side of my barn. The third took two! Shots! And while they where still coming in to the suet cakes I backed off because I clearly was off my game.
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Starlings are tough little birds,
 
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Had my experience with one yesterday. Hit it at an awkward angle shooting into the horizon during sunset. First time I ever pierced and ear. It appears to have give it a flesh wound, but it knocked it off of the branch and out of the tree. I heard a little rustling in the leaves. Figured it was dying. Then when I went to find it it was not in an area where I figured it would’ve fallen. I went back and forth a few times and then I hear something move in front of me. When I walked up I saw this big eye on this small squirrel looking at me. When I lowered the muzzle to put it up to its head the squirrel hopped up and started climbing another tree. I suck at close up shots and there had to have been 2 yards between us. It took me three shots with it playing ring around the rosies on the tree trunk before I put it down with a body shot to the vitals. I had to wait until it was high enough to create enough distance between us to use my 10 yard hold. It happens sometimes. This is the second time I’ve knocked one down with a shot and it climbed back up a tree. First time was with a Huben K1 shooting CPHP. I had to work to get that guy, but I got him. I didn’t feel too bad. It seems like he was stunned by that .25 pellet knocking him upside the head. It was too late to take time to see all of the damage done. I had just enough light to inspect the organs before washing and putting the carcass in the freezer. He was too small to eat by itself.

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There was one shot I took on a squirrel way out near the end of my property line around 30yds, .25 Grizzly pellet in my TalonP. It looked like a clean headshot but as I went out to get the body I saw the squirrel still alive laying in a small pool of blood. It was still in the same spot I downed it at but when I looked closer the pellet basically got the very top of its noggin, and guess the shock was enough to not make it want to move. Quickly dispatched with a pocket knife I tend to carry around with me.
 
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A.G.R said:
If a squirrel 🐿 was 100 lbs Id never go into the woods because you could not kill it.. They have a WILL to live as good as any animal.. Think about it.. Every day they get up knowing it could be their last from predators above, below , and around.. You day consists of always being on guard.. …. 👍
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and raccoons are some tough critters too.
 
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I think my worst shot on a squirrel was the one I shot in the ass with my P35-177. I missed an easy shot on it first. It was sitting in a crotch of an oak and all I had to do was squeeze the trigger. I didn't and it ran further up the tree. I think I would have passed on the shot at it's rear if I hadn't been pissed at missing the first shot. I dropped it with the back end shot but it crawled off and my dog found it later. The other 10 or 11 I've taken with that gun were clean kills.

I think the dividing line on "extra power" for squirrels is about 30 fpe. My 177 and my Prod both work great but require better placement than my P35-22 and 25. Both were tuned to about 32 fpe. Both guns will shoot the length of a squirrel if I hit them in the chest. That doesn't drop them as quickly as a side to side shoulder shot, however. But if I do not hit both front shoulders the pellet will exit. With the 22 I think it would still exit. I've nicked them with the 25 and had to shoot again but any solid hit to the body or head with either gun has dropped the squirrel. 28 and counting. I hit one in the jaw with the 25 and crushed it's skull. DRT. I only use simple domed pellets. No need for >30 fpe or expanding projectiles for squirrels. I might shoot one with my P35-25 which is tuned to 50 fpe now but it is overkill for sure. It would need to be a situation where a pass through wouldn't hit anything.
 
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JimD said:
I think my worst shot on a squirrel was the one I shot in the ass with my P35-177. I missed an easy shot on it first. It was sitting in a crotch of an oak and all I had to do was squeeze the trigger. I didn't and it ran further up the tree. I think I would have passed on the shot at it's rear if I hadn't been pissed at missing the first shot. I dropped it with the back end shot but it crawled off and my dog found it later. The other 10 or 11 I've taken with that gun were clean kills.

I think the dividing line on "extra power" for squirrels is about 30 fpe. My 177 and my Prod both work great but require better placement than my P35-22 and 25. Both were tuned to about 32 fpe. Both guns will shoot the length of a squirrel if I hit them in the chest. That doesn't drop them as quickly as a side to side shoulder shot, however. But if I do not hit both front shoulders the pellet will exit. With the 22 I think it would still exit. I've nicked them with the 25 and had to shoot again but any solid hit to the body or head with either gun has dropped the squirrel. 28 and counting. I hit one in the jaw with the 25 and crushed it's skull. DRT. I only use simple domed pellets. No need for >30 fpe or expanding projectiles for squirrels. I might shoot one with my P35-25 which is tuned to 50 fpe now but it is overkill for sure. It would need to be a situation where a pass through wouldn't hit anything.
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Pass through is always my concern, especially as I am experimenting with slugs. I have a .25 RTI p-3 that’s shooting 32gr slugs at 66-70fpe.

I have had to readjust my backstop, miss, and pass through cautions to be more like a .22lr.

I think I will have to limit the slugs to rabbit, raccoon, nutria and other earth-bound critters. I will stick to the moderate powered .22 pellets for birds and squirrels in the trees.
 
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tompetersonhaircut said:
I have had to readjust my backstop, miss, and pass through cautions to be more like a .22lr.
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Which is why I find the quest for more power and the using of slugs in airguns counterintuitive for the majority… Most come to airguns for the increased low power shooting opportunities they allow. Having a PCP with .22 rimfire power levels has zero utility for me…🙏
 
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